Area denial systems generally include a plurality of lethal or non-lethal munitions that can be deployed as a defensive system to deny access to terrain, to focus or direct enemy movement, reduce enemy morale, or to accomplish other various tactical objectives. In addition, certain area denial systems can be deeply deployed into enemy territory, quickly placed in front of moving formations of enemy units, or quickly deployed for other purposes via artillery scatterable and aircraft scatterable munitions.
Area denial munitions generally include some form of explosive material or ordnance that can be initiated by detonation devices. Explosive materials contained in an explosive device may be ignited in several different ways. For example, explosive materials have been ignited by flame ignition (e.g., fuzes or ignition of a priming explosive), impact (which often ignites a priming explosive), chemical interaction (e.g., contact with a reactive or activating fluid), or electrical ignition. Electrical ignition may occur in at least two distinct ways, as by ignition of a priming material (e.g., electrically ignited blasting cap or priming material) or by direct energizing of an explosive mass by electrical power. These various ignition systems enable explosive devices such as explosive projectiles to detonate at a desired time. Depending on the application, this desired time may be before impact, at a specific point during flight, during impact, or at some time delay after impact.
While detonation of the explosive material in a munition may be desirable in some instances, such as to accomplish area-denial objectives, detonation of the explosive material may also be undesirable in other applications. For example, detonation of the explosive material may be undesirable when unintended targets are present, or subsequent to combat operations, when the munition may still be deployed but area-denial objectives are no longer required.
Known munition systems, such as the M-7 Spider and the XM1100 Scorpion, include a plurality of networked munitions, sensors, and communication devices. Once these systems are deployed, a human operator at a remotely located control station can choose to fire one or more of the munitions, for example in response to feedback from the sensors that indicates the presence of an enemy target. Networking elements for remote control of sensors and other devices, such as munitions, is well known in the art. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,832,244; 8,836,503; 8,812,654; 7,305,467; and 5,489,909, each incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Modern area denial systems which utilize anti-personnel munitions are generally configured for “human in the loop” operation of the anti-personnel munitions, requiring human authorization of fire commands for the munitions in the system. In addition, known area denial systems which utilize anti-vehicle munitions generally include human in the loop operated anti-personnel munitions to make removal of the anti-vehicle munitions more difficult.
Proper execution of an area denial system can be difficult, requiring proper set up and consideration of various technical issues that are necessitated by long range remote control of the networked sensors and munitions. In addition, area denial systems generally require some form of removal or neutralization after combat operations are over. As such, an area denial munition that improves or resolves those technical issues, and/or improves the efficiency of area denial systems would be well received.